The Magnetic Sincerity Interference
by CoquetteDoll
Summary: Penny's getting married, and Sheldon isn't happy about it. P/S. One-shot. Please R&R!


Penny was getting married.

Not to Leonard. Not to any of them. To some guy named Mark.

Sheldon thought it was a stupid name. He thought it was stupid of her to marry him, although he didn't say anything. Leonard said it wasn't his place. It was her life.

It was her choice who she married.

But what about his life?

Over the years they had known each other, as much as he didn't want to admit it, he had become accustomed to her. Fond of her, even.

He wasn't sure he would know how to live without her anymore. She was part of his life now. Part of his routine. And she was the only one that always got his food order right.

She couldn't leave. She just couldn't. Didn't she know what it would do to him? To their group?

It wasn't right. He was going to ignore what Leonard said. He had to tell Penny she was making a mistake. He had to warn her. It was the proper thing to do. She couldn't possibly be happy with a guy named Mark, after all.

~*~*~*~*~

Penny heard the 3 knocks at the door, followed by the usual calling of her name. She smiled and got up to answer, but didn't say anything when she opened the door. He wasn't smiling like usual.

She caught him staring at her engagement ring, and flushed slightly, holding it out in front of her.

"It IS beautiful, isn't it? I-"

"You can't get married."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

He pushed his way past her and for once, made no snide comments about the mess in her apartment. He sat down and looked up at her with what was quite possibly the most serious she has ever seen him. What made him think he had the right to say that?

"You can't tell me what to do, Sheldon! You're my friend, you're supposed to support me!"

He shook his head.

"Not if I think you're making a terrible mistake."

"You think I'm making a mistake? Why?"

She was obviously upset. And so was he. Although not quite as obviously. Neither of them wanted to back down, and it hurt Penny that he was thinking only of himself. He didn't care if she was happy.

"After a time, you may find that "having" is not so pleasing a thing,

after all, as "wanting." It is not logical, but it is often true."

"What the hell does that mean?!"

"It's a quote. From Star Trek. I'm saying that although you might think that you want to get married to this 'Mark' that once you actually go through with it, I don't think you'll be happy."

Penny's face was burning. She felt tears start to well in the corners of her eyes. For once in his life, couldn't he be happy for her? He was so selfish!

"Mark loves me, Sheldon! I can't spend my entire life hanging out with my neighbors and playing video games! I want to have children one day! I want to have a life. And Mark's not a bad guy, you know? I-"

"Do you love him?"

Penny didn't answer. Why did it bother her so much?

"Why would you ask me that?"

"It's a reasonable question, isn't it? You said he loves you, but you didn't mention if you feel the same way. I was under the impression that's how it was when two people join into marriage."

"Of-of course! I mean, I like him. What's love anyways? I can't wait my whole life for some feeling I might never ever find. He's good to me, that's what matters. Right?"

Sheldon said nothing and Penny sat down beside him.

She started to cry and he just sat there awkwardly.

"I'm sorry I upset you, but I just can't accept that you're leaving. You've become an important part of my life, and I'm afraid I won't be able to function properly without you here. You can't go."

"I can't never get married or have children just because you don't want me to leave, Sheldon! I want to do all those things, and I can't just stay with you for the rest of your life!"

"But you're going to be with Mark for the rest of his life, right? If you can stay with him, you can most certainly stay with me."

Penny laughed bitterly.

"There's a difference between getting married because you love someone and staying next door to your neighbor for the rest of your life. One is normal, the other is sad and pathetic! Don't you get that?"

She immediately regretted saying that. Sometimes she forgot that he had feelings.

"I mean, it's not that I don't love you, Sheldon. You know I do, it's just-"

"Then why are you leaving me?"

"There are different kinds of love. You don't really want me to live here forever. Can you really see me being a part of your life, say, 20 years from now?"

He thought about it for a minute, and stated his conclusion simply.

"Yes."

Penny almost started crying again.

She wrapped her arms around him and he wondered why he felt so awful. He was having chest pains again. It seemed to be a regular occurrence since Penny broke the news that she was engaged.

"How do you know what kind of love is which?"

"What? Sheldon, I don't-"

"You said there are different kinds, correct? How do you know which one is which? Because I think I may have feelings for you, but I'm not entirely sure which kind."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"I just know that I don't want you to leave me. I can't think of a time when I don't see you there in my future. I want you to be there when I win the Nobel Prize, Penny. For the 3rd time. I'm even willing to let you sit wherever you want, if that's what it takes. You can have unrestricted access to my bedroom, as well..."

By now, Penny was quietly sobbing, Sheldon's long arms wrapped tightly, if awkwardly around her.

"You'll make for a good reproductive partner, assuming our child has your looks and my brains. I promise to never be abusive, physically or emotionally. I know emotions are not my strong point, but I know I love you, Penny. I'm being sincere, and it isn't easy for me, as you know, so please stop crying..."

Penny couldn't stop, but by now she was smiling as well. These were happy tears.

"Are you asking me to marry you, Sheldon? You really want me to be your wife? Penny from The Cheesecake Factory? With an IQ below 130?"

She laughed and when he didn't say anything right away, wondered if he was regretting saying those things.

"I thought it was fairly obvious that by now, I love you despite your faults. And you should know that I like you working at The Cheesecake Factory, since I wouldn't trust anyone else with my food."

She rolled her eyes and looked down at her hand. She frowned.

"I don't want to give the ring back."

"If that's an issue, I assure you that on my salary, I can afford a much bigger one than the one you currently have, that is, if you accept. And I sincerely hope you do."

Penny didn't answer him right away. At least not verbally.

Instead, she got her cell phone out of her purse and dialed her soon to be ex-fiancee's number.

"Hey, Mark? We need to talk..."

Sheldon smiled. And he noticed that around her, he never had to force it. He didn't believe in fate, or soul mates.

But he was still certain that they belonged together.

Opposites attract, after all. They couldn't be more different.

It was a matter of science.


End file.
